The Hidden Causes of Back Pain and How to Get Relief

April 12, 2010

By LARA NAAMAN and KATIE ESCHIERCH via

About 85 percent of people will experience back pain in their lives, but simple things you do every day could be causing it? Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of "The Dr. Oz Show," has advice about the hidden causes of back pain and what you can do to get some relief.

Back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor's office, Oz said, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. It's also the leading cause of disability in Americans younger than 45, and half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.

How to Get Back Pain Relief

Oz said that most cases of back pain are mechanical or nonorganic, meaning they are not caused by serious conditions such as arthritis or an injury such as fracture.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Back Pain

The spine is made up of bones cushioned by small oval pads of cartilage or discs consisting of a tough outer layer and a soft inner layer. Oz said to think of them like jelly doughnuts in between each vertebrae.

When a herniated disc occurs, a small portion of the nucleus, or the jelly, pushes out through a tear in the annulus, or the doughnut, into the spinal canal. This can irritate a nerve and result in pain, numbness or weakness in your back, as well as your leg or arm.

If you feel a shooting pain that goes below your knee, Oz said, it's serious enough to warrant medical attention. The majority of the time, habits that are associated with poor posture and daily tasks are the source of the pain.

Slouching Puts 100 Extra Pounds of Stress on the Lower Back

Your spine is strong and stable when you practice good posture, but when you slouch or disrupt the alignment of the spine, your muscles and ligaments struggle to maintain balance, resulting in muscle fatigue and the onset of back pain. Slouching can put the equivalent of 100 extra pounds of stress on the lower back. For every inch your head drops forward as you're slouching, the stress on your spine increases by 10 pounds.

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Back Pain: Common Causes

The same mechanics are at play when you bend over to lift things with your back instead of your legs. The single worst movement you can make for your back's health is to bend and twist the back while trying to lift something. Oz said he often see parents doing this as they lift children out of strollers. The move leaves the discs in your back with little support, making them more likely to slide and pinch nerves.

Posture-related back pain can also result from extended sitting. On average, the body can tolerate being in one position for about 20 minutes before you need to adjust. Overly repetitious tasks can also lead to muscle fatigue or injury.

Avoid Back Problems by Getting Out of the Car to Stretch Every 90 Minutes

Oz said another group of people at risk for back pain are those who have a long commute to work.

People who drive cars for more than four hours a day are six times more likely to take time off work for back trouble than those who drive for less than two hours. Driving with poor posture can put the same stress on your back as carrying a 40-pound backpack.

When driving, Oz said, you should be getting out of the car to stretch every 90 minutes to avoid developing back problems.

Wear Low-Heeled Shoes; Empty Your Purse and Pockets

There are also a number of things that women specifically do that cause back pain.